About the Stand-Down

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What is the National Safety Stand-Down?

The 6th annual National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls will take place the week of May 6-10, 2019. The Stand-Down was conceived by OSHA in 2014 as part of the National Falls Campaign to raise awareness surrounding the severity of fall hazards in construction and the importance of preventing them. In a construction setting, the term “safety stand-down” is used to describe a wide variety of activities where normal work is paused and the entire site focuses on a particular safety issue. While some employers may use stand-downs to call attention to specific hazards present on their site as an intervention, the Campaign has adopted the use of the stand-down to draw attention to fall hazards in a nation-wide weeklong event. It’s an opportunity for employers to pause work and have a conversation with workers about fall hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations. This should also be an opportunity for workers to talk to management about fall hazards they see.

Who is it for?

Participation began with, but is not limited to the construction industry, and no business is too large or small to participate. In previous years, we’ve had participants in residential construction, commercial construction, industrial construction, mining, general industry, and more. In fact, the largest single participant in 2015 and 2016 was the United States Air Force, reaching more than 1 million military and civilian personnel. Also, nearly half of certificates for participation completed through OSHA’s website were for Stand-Downs with less than 25 workers. Learn more about past participants in our 2014 & 2015 Data Analysis and the accompanying 2016 Report.

Why should I join in?

Falls are a leading cause of death for workers, accounting for 350 of the 937 construction fatalities and 648 of the 4,836 fatalities in all industries recorded in 2015 (BLS data). But they are also preventable! Hazard elimination, proper training, and use of fall protection can change these numbers. For more background data on fall hazards, check out the CPWR-NIOSH infographics.

When can I participate?

The 2019 Stand-Down will take place May 6-10. During this week, major campaign partners will be providing resources and hosting stand-down events across the nation and internationally, but participation is encouraged year-round! Use the document 11 Ways to Keep Your Fall Prevention Program Alive All Year Long for ideas.

Where?

Over the last few years, thousands of companies held their own stand-downs, reaching millions of workers across all 50 states and internationally! In 2017 over 150 public events were also held across the country. You can organize your own stand-down on your jobsite(s), join with others in your area to hold an event, or check out a list of regional events open to the public at www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/calendar.html.

How?

Our 5-Day Plan provides easy to follow suggestions for each day of the week, but feel free to get creative! Our Training & Resources section provides a variety of resources such as toolbox talks, inspection check lists, videos, and Success Story highlights from past events to aid in your stand-down plans.

More specific information will be provided as we get closer to the 2019 Stand-Down.